Steering Committee Demands Immediate and Unconditional Release of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan

In light of the recent conviction of prominent Azerbaijani human rights defenders Intigam Aliyev and Rasul Jafarov to disproportionate prison sentences on questionable legal charges, the EaP CSF Steering Committee adopted a statement condemning these actions by the government and urging the European Union to reconsider its current approach to relations with Azerbaijan.

Intigam Aliyev, a human rights lawyer, was working on the preparation of legal cases before the European Court of Human Rights regarding the violations by Azerbaijani government, while Rasul Jafarov organised the protest campaign related to the Eurovision Song Contest and was planning another campaign on Azerbaijans human rights situation during the European games to be held in Baku on 12-28 June.

Georgian EaP CSF National Platform meets with Commissioner Hahn on his first visit to Georgia

EaP CSF Country Facilitator for Georgia, Lasha Tugushi, was among the civil society representatives who met with European Neighbourhood Commissioner Johannes Hahn during his first official visit to Georgia on 16 January 2015.

The meeting was attended by 9 representatives of civil society working on the following thematic issues in the scope of the Association Agreement: environment, legal reform, visa liberalization, transparency and fighting against corruption, minority issues, business, social and international affairs, including security.

Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe approves 2015-2017 Action Plan for Ukraine

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe approved on 21 January an action plan for Ukraine for the period of 2015-2017. The action plan is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the Ukrainian authorities and aims to support Ukraine in fulfilling its statutory and specific obligations as a Council of Europe member state.

Through this action plan, the Council of Europe is to assist Ukraine in its reform agenda in the areas of human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. The co-operation between the Council of Europe and Ukraine should benefit state institutions, civil society and the public at large.

Democracy Reporting International and the Institute of International Relations of the Taras Shevchenko National University have recently co-published a report entitled Ukraines political reforms: one year on from Euromaidan.

The report takes stock of Ukraines progress in political, electoral, judicial reforms and decentralisation and anti-corruption measures over the last year. In addition to offering a diagnosis of the current state of affairs, the paper issues policy recommendations for priority political reforms to be achieved in the coming months.